1913 National Game - looking for info

[KingFisk]

Apologies if there is a definitive thread out there but I was looking for info on the WG5 issue...Doesn't seem to be a ton of info out there in terms of distribution, scarcity, popularity, etc. Seems like a lot of cards have survived in high grade and aren't particularly expensive, aside from maybe the Joe Jackson and maybe some others I'm not aware of. Can anyone shed some light on this issue? I am looking at a card to purchase that feels like it should be much more expensive (due to age of issue, player involved, and condition of card) but the examples on ebay are overpriced, if VCP is any indicator. Would love an education before I buy. Thank you.

[BeanTown]

Very popular set and still affordable. Tremendous amount of HOFers are in it. Was able to pick this up at the National in Atlantic City last year.

[Leon]

They are found in high grade because they came as playing cards with round corners and were stored in decks, many times, for decades. Most can be found high grade for not a ton of money. Just be patient and do some more pricing research and you will make out fine. Here a few from my previous collection...

[KingFisk]

Thanks guys....Appreciate the info.

No sooner did I post this that the card I was thinking about buying but seemed overpriced was snapped up on eBay! Oh well. Guess I'm going to be forced to take that "patient" approach now. ;)

[clydepepper]

Carl-

I don't have much to add to what the previous posters have said...except to say that this set along with the Polo Grounds set have long been favorites of mine as an inexpensive way of collecting Hall-of-Famers, though not all the photos are appealing. The National Game does have the Patent Date on the Back - which I find to be really cool!

I wound up deciding to resell all I had collected except five: Cobb, Wagner, Johnson, Mathewson (as one of the concentrations of my collection is the First Five) and Alexander (which, IMO, is as close to a rookie card of his as exists).

As Leon noted, it is easy to find these in better condition because they were originally produced with rounded corners.


Be Patient and Good Hunting,
Raymond

[clydepepper]

I have yet to purchase the National Mathewson as it is one of those aforementioned less than appealing photos and the Polo Grounds set does not include a card for Walter.

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[drcy]

I've always like the National Games. Nice looking and affordable cards of all the stars.

[The-Cardfather]

Here are some links to sites with information on the 1913 National Game set and it's nearly-identical cousin, the 1913 Tom Barker set.


http://www.psacard.com/cardfacts/baseball-cards/1913-national-game/216

http://www.tradingcarddb.com/ViewAllSet.cfm/sid/72833

http://www.oldcardboard.com/wg/wg5/wg5.asp?cardsetID=950

http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/1913-tom-barker-game-cards/

http://www.psacard.com/cardfacts/baseball-cards/1913-tom-barker-game/4667

http://www.tradingcarddb.com/ViewAllSet.cfm/sid/72717

[KingFisk]

Thanks again for the info, pics and links. Definitely hope to add the Grover Cleveland Alexander to my collection.

[brianp-beme]

Always a big fan of the National Game/Tom Barker sets. Some great images, affordable, and you don't have to worry about sharp corners.

There are some differences between the sets. I pulled images from the web of cards (sorry about different sizing) that are not seen in both sets. Bill Carrigan, Chief Meyers, Zach Wheat and Ivy Wingo are only seen in the Tom Barker, whereas Bill Dahlen, Larry McLean, Jake Stahl and George Stovall are only seen in the National Game set.

Hal Chase is in both sets, but each set has a different photo and team designation--in the National Game set Chase is designated as and pictured with the New York Highlanders (or Yankees), while the Tom Barker set has Chase designated as and pictured with the Chicago White Sox. This change is extra significant, especially for those hardline Rookie collectors, because it establishes that the National Game cards were produced before the Tom Barker cards, as Chase was traded to the Chicago White Sox from the Yankees on June 1st, 1913, despite the fact that both sets have a March 25, 1913 patent date printed on the back of the cards.

Which means that the National Game Grover Alexander should be considered his absolute truest rookie card (there are a few 'non-card' items that were issued earlier), as the Tom Barker must have been issued later, sometime after June 1913 to include the shot of Hal wearing the White Sox uniform.

Brian

[Leon]

Nice info, Brian. Thanks for sharing....

Always a big fan of the National Game/Tom Barker sets. Some great images, affordable, and you don't have to worry about sharp corners.

There are some differences between the sets. I pulled images from the web of cards (sorry about different sizing) that are not seen in both sets. Bill Carrigan, Chief Meyers, Zach Wheat and Ivy Wingo are only seen in the Tom Barker, whereas Bill Dahlen, Larry McLean, Jake Stahl and George Stovall are only seen in the National Game set.

Hal Chase is in both sets, but each set has a different photo and team designation--in the National Game set Chase is designated as and pictured with the New York Highlanders (or Yankees), while the Tom Barker set has Chase designated as and pictured with the Chicago White Sox. This change is extra significant, especially for those hardline Rookie collectors, because it establishes that the National Game cards were produced before the Tom Barker cards, as Chase was traded to the Chicago White Sox from the Yankees on June 1st, 1913, despite the fact that both sets have a March 25, 1913 patent date printed on the back of the cards.

Which means that the National Game Grover Alexander should be considered his absolute truest rookie card (there are a few 'non-card' items that were issued earlier), as the Tom Barker must have been issued later, sometime after June 1913 to include the shot of Hal wearing the White Sox uniform.

Brian

[KingFisk]

Always a big fan of the National Game/Tom Barker sets. Some great images, affordable, and you don't have to worry about sharp corners.

There are some differences between the sets. I pulled images from the web of cards (sorry about different sizing) that are not seen in both sets. Bill Carrigan, Chief Meyers, Zach Wheat and Ivy Wingo are only seen in the Tom Barker, whereas Bill Dahlen, Larry McLean, Jake Stahl and George Stovall are only seen in the National Game set.

Hal Chase is in both sets, but each set has a different photo and team designation--in the National Game set Chase is designated as and pictured with the New York Highlanders (or Yankees), while the Tom Barker set has Chase designated as and pictured with the Chicago White Sox. This change is extra significant, especially for those hardline Rookie collectors, because it establishes that the National Game cards were produced before the Tom Barker cards, as Chase was traded to the Chicago White Sox from the Yankees on June 1st, 1913, despite the fact that both sets have a March 25, 1913 patent date printed on the back of the cards.

Which means that the National Game Grover Alexander should be considered his absolute truest rookie card (there are a few 'non-card' items that were issued earlier), as the Tom Barker must have been issued later, sometime after June 1913 to include the shot of Hal wearing the White Sox uniform.

Brian
Good stuff, thank you!

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